Rivers government sets up technical committee to tackle soot

Rivers State government has set up technical committee to implement the recommendations of the scientific committee established to investigate the prevalence of soot, in a move to finally resolve the challenge facing the state.

Briefing journalists after the Rivers State Executive Council meeting on Wednesday, at the Government House, Port Harcourt, Commissioner of Environment, Prof. Roseline Konya, said that the state government arrived at the decision after a detailed consideration of the report of the scientific committee.

She said: “The State Executive Council went ahead and appointed members of the technical committee for purpose of the implementation of the report of the scientific committee.”

The Technical Committee is to be chaired by the Honorable Commissioner for Environment and other members are as follows: Prof. Precious Edeh, Dr. Golden Ohana, the Honorable Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, Commissioner of Water resources.

Others are representatives of the IOCs, one each from Shell, Agip, Total, Petrochemical, Port Harcourt refineries and NLNG.

There will also be a representative of civil society while the secretary of the committee will be nominated by the Ministry of Environment.